Coating apparatus



W. l. GLADFELTER GOATING APPARATUS Filed Nov; 14, 1940 am @Manhay 1 ,TJ m um.

Dec. 7, 1943.

De@ 7 1943- w. l. GLADFELTER ETAL 2,335,932

COATING' APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 frf Dec. 7,1943. w. l. GLADFELTER E-rAL Y 2,335,932

COATING APPARATUS Dec, 7, 1943-. r., GLADFELTER vETAI. i 2,335,932

COAT ING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 14, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheevt 4 Patented Dec. 7, 1943 COATING APPARATUS Wilte I. Gladfelter Willian;l H. Moore, Philadelphia. Pa., assignors to Crown Cork" & Seal Company, Inc., altimore, Md.,- a corporation of YNew York Application November 14, 19.40, Serial No. 365,698

14 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for coating articles of manufacture, such as containers or cans. More particularly, the invention `relates to a machine for coating certain portions of suoli articles during their manufacture,

Although not coniined to such use, the in achineof the present invention is adapted; to coat, with a resistant coating material such as lacquer or enamel, the outer surfaces of the out-` wardly projecting seaming flanges at the bottoni m ends of drawn seamless can bodies of the type, for instance, as are shown in the application of Calleson et al., Serial No. 334,876, filed May 13, 1940, which can bodies may be made in 'accorde ance with the application ofl Calleson et al., i Serial No. 280,650, filed June 22, 1939. After such can bodies are drawn and formed, their bottom ends may be trimmed and flanged in aeg cordance with the application of Gladfelter et al., Serial No. 341,754, led YJune 211, 1940. The flanged bodies are then coated interiorly, fori stance, by the use of a machine similar to shovm in the application of Goebel et. al., No. 154,108, filed July 16, 1937, or by a of the type shown in the application of l felter et al., Serial No. 367,454, filed ANoire 27, 1940.

Before the containers are transferred from such an inside coating machine to a first bak.- ing oven, as described in the application of Gla felter et al., Serial No. 347,564, filed J- uly 25, ,19.49, it has been found desirable to coat the exterior surfaces of the seaming flanges and the 4adige?. cent portion of the side Walls, to the .end that this coating may be baked simultaneously with the aforesaid inside coating. After the baking operation, the containers are passed through ya double-seamen Where bottom end members are secured upon the coated flanges, as vdeseri the last-mentioned application. It is that both surfaces of the seaming flanges ,i coated before the flanges are curled up'into a double-seam With the flanges of the end losure members. s

The principal object of the present Iinventini is to provide a machine that will ake linu o; such containers from an inside oating xn hine and apply to the exterior surfaces `of .t e, ing flanges, an even, continuous c ng of CII meer

lacquer or enamel, and then deliver 450 containers to a conveyor leading to a, baking oven.`

A further object of the invention ,is to prorlde an extremely simple machine of .lilali @alla it' that will handle a rapidly moving line of such .containers and Perform its Coating ferie-tiene a reliable and expeditious manner,

Al further object of the invention is to. provide means for taking the containers hori position directly from an inside oating ma to provide means for presenting thefcon to a coating device, such as a spray gun, in s manner that only'the desired portions containers are coated; to provide in tatine the containers while beine e0 So the eoetioe is applied eveiila'eotl to' ero means forA delivering the eoiiteiliers ifi manner as to avoid smearing or in oated surfaces.

ri is e .further object of the invent vide novel means., vin a machine of for handling the containers. .for r t during the Coating operation, .and f the containers in upright position .e eheree eonveyorn further object of the invention is to provide novel ineens for guiding .the eo .their passage through the melone., .for P me portions or the .containers lato the d 7for holding there in tire ne the rotation oi theeorit their exea' Other and. further obieets me advantages .eli

eeription of an ill trative erlebe, of lie invention, shown in ,trie .aeoorepanyine sireirie.- 1n the drawings: Figure l is a refer elevation of the eliirle.- Figiire 2 is a partiel en@ elevation. tain parte in section, looking from the r...,lii o i ,Figure l- Figure 3 ise front elevation. taker; iro.-. the right o f Figure 2 "Figure iis e eentrel vertioel Seetlori termali Figure 3, on an enlarged scale.

ing journalled in a support I5 which may be a part of, or may be positioned in fixed relation to, an inside coating machine of the type referred to above. Sprockets |2 and I3 are journalled on stub shafts carried at the upper ends of two pairs of posts I9, I1, mounted in pedestals on the floor. The idler sprocket I4 is simi.- larly carried, byl a stub shaft carried by brackets clamped upon lthe posts I6. sprocket |I is positively driven by and at the same speed as the outfeed dial of the inside coating machine. Hence, that sprocket acts as the driving means for the chain I0.

The chain moves upwardly on an inclined plane between the sprockets IIand I2A and then passes horizontally through a coating chamber represented generally at 29, the chamber being supported by a base 2| projecting upwardly from the floor. During its movement toward the sprocket I3, the chain travels along in substantially parallel relation to the lower flight of a pair of conveyor cables 22 leading toward a baking oven or the like. Between the sprockets Il and I2, the chain is supported upon a track 23 which may take the form of an angle iron supported at one end by the pedestal I5 and at th'e Vother end by a flange 24 carried by one of the posts I6. The support 2| for the housing 2D carries laterally projecting tracks 25, 26 over which the chain I slides, the latter track being extended toward the sprocket I3 and being appropriately secured to a flange 21 at the upper end of one of th'e posts |1.

As shown in Figures 4, and 6 alternate links Illa of the chain I0 are provided with downwardly projecting, laterally bent wings 30 adapted to slide 'upon the tracks 23, 26, etc. The intermediate links Illb have upwardly projecting laterally bent wings 3|, upon which transversely disposed plates 32 are bolted or otherwise secured. Each plate 32 terminates at one end in a bearing sleeve 33 for a pivot pin 34, and, at the 'other end, in an upwardly projecting stop lug 35. A can body holding bracket 36, provided Withdownwardly projecting hollow bosses 31 is pivoted upon each pin 34, for transverse swinging movement with respect to the plate 32 and the chain I0. At the end remote from the pivotal connection, each bracket is shaped to provide apertured ears 38, carrying a pin 39 upon which a'roller 48 is journalled. The brackets also'include two pairs of upwardly and outwardly projecting arms 4|, 42, shaped to embrace and receive the side walls of container bodies 4.5. The bracket arms 42 are extended rearwardly to provide an arcuate flange 43, connected to integral webs 44. The flange 43 has an upturned lip 45 vat its rear edge and provides an arcuate groove for the reception of the edge of th'e outwardly turned seaming flange 45a of the container body 45. l y f Tension springs 41, connected at their opposite Aends to pins 43, 49 carried respectively by the up-turned stop lug portion 35 of the plate 32 and the -rear portion of the brackets 36, at all times urge the brackets 35 toward the horizontalposition shown in Figures 2 and 5. Under the influence of guide rails having cam surfaces associated therewith, as hereinafter explained, however,;the brackets 36 may swing from the normal, horizontal position to an inclined coating position and also to a substantially vertical discharge positionadjacent the conveyor cables Preferably, the" The base 2| for the coating chamber 22 is provided with a laterally projecting flange 50 which serves as a floor for the chamber and upon which a track plate 5| for the chain I0 is mounted. An overhanging guide strip 52, positioned above the rear portion of the track 5I, overlies the wings 39 on the rear side of the chain, t0 prevent the chain' being tipped laterally when the brackets and cans are swung laterally, as hereinafter explined.

The coating chamber 28 preferably is defined Vin part by an integral casting secured to the base 2|. The casting includes a rear wall 55, and a top wall or ceiling 59 having a forwardly projecting web 59 extending upwardly therefrom and connected thereto by vertically disposed reinforcing llanges 51, 58, and a rearwardly projecting web 54. A motor and a spray gun may be carried by the web 59, as hereinafter explained. At the entrance and exit ends, the chamber is open above the floor 59, except for the spaces occupied by flanges 60, GI which pro- 'ect downwardly `from the top wall 56. The top wall or ceiling 56 projects forwardly beyond the line of th'e front edge of the floor 50, except for a central opening 62 defined by down-turned lateral flanges 63, 64. The forward edge of the top wall is similarly flanged as at B5, the flange lying in a plane disposed perpendicularly to the flanges 63, 64.

A sheet metal hood or casing 29 comprising a front wall 65 and end Walls 51, 68 appropriately bolted together is carried by and closes the open front face of the chamber 20. At the upper, central portion, the hood 29 includes a removable, rearwardly projecting, top wall 69 terminating in an'upwardly and rearwardly inclined section 1i) closely fitting between the flanges 63, 64 and secured by wing nuts 1| or the like to the upper margin of the opening B2. The wall 99 is appropriately apertured for the reception of a downwardly facing spray gun 15 clamped upon a horizontally extending arm 15 carried by a bracket 11 adjustably clamped upon the lower end of a vertical post 18, supported, in turn, in a hollow boss 80, by a collar 8| disposed above the boss.

Since any conventional type of spray gun may be used, the specific construction of the gun 15 need not be described. Appropriate flexible conduits (not shown) for the atomizing air, the trigger air and the liquid coating material are adapted to be connected to nipples 15a, 15b, 15e, respectively, as is well understood in the art. Au-

) tomatic or manual means may be provided to cut off the trigger air when the conveyor stops, if desired,`to render the gun inoperative.

At its lower end the hood 20' is open and is connected to a downwardly extending flue 85, bolted to reinforcing angle irons 86 and to a `flangel integral with the base 2| and reinforced byrwebs 88. The ue may be of any appropriate construction and is preferably connected by a conduit to an exhaust fan, not shown.

The upper wall 5B of the chamber casing has laterally projecting extensions 9i),V 9| (Figs. 1, 2 and 3)V which carry stub shafts 92, 93 upon which sheaves 94, are journalled'for rotation in a plane inclined substantially 45 from the vertical. 'I 'he upwardly projecting flanges 51,158 of the casting carry angularly disposed hollow bosses 96, 91, respectively, in which rods 98, 99 are held by. set screws or the like. These rods are connectedto a plate |09, upon which a base ||l| for "an electric motor |02 is bolted. The motor shaft carries a driving sheave |63 for av-belt |04" trained about that sheave and about the sheaves 94, '95, with its lower flight |65 guided through openings in the end walls 6l, 66 of the hood 20. As. shown in Figures 1-4, the belt |04 is thus trained for movement on an inclined plane, with nits lower flight disposed in the coating chamber adjacent the spray gun 15.

Interiorly of the chamber (Fig. 4) there is mounted a guide or cam rail IIB, upon which the rollers 46 of the can supporting brackets ride. YThe rail has downwardly turned ends III secured in hollow bosses I I2 associated with the flange D ofthe base 2|. Inside of ythe chamber, the rail vhas an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion ||3^vvhich serves to swing the brackets 36 and the can bodies 45 from the normal, horizontal position to the inclined position shown in Figure 4, where the upper portions of the seaming flanges 45a are disposed on a line below the spray gun 15. When in this position and while passing beneath the spray gun, the side walls of the containers are urged into contact with the lower face of the lower flight H35 of the V-belt |04, with the result that, as the belt is driven, the can bodies are rotated in the supporting pockets of the brackets 36. As the containers approach the discharge end of the chamber, the rollers 4Ilencounter a downwardly and rearwardly inclined track section I |311, so that the brackets are again brought to a horizontal position, to enable the containers to clear the end flange 6| 'of the vchamberrZll and the end wall 68 of the hood 20.

Additional guide rails are provided in the chamber to retain the cans in the pockets of the supporting brackets' and to prevent them from being inadvertently removed therefrom as a result of the rapid rotation imparted thereto by the belt |64. As indicated in 1Eigure 4, a rail I I5, having its ends secured in bosses II6, is shaped so as to follow closely the path of movement of the neck ends of the containers 45 as they travel through the chamber. A similar rail I II, secured to the casing at IIB, is disposed opposite to and closely follows the movement of the side walls of thecontainers. A third rail IIS, similarly secured to the ceiling of the casing, is disposed opposite to and closely follows the path of movement of the flanged ends of the containers.

. After the coated containers, in horizontal position, leave the chamber 26, the rollers 40 again encounter a guide or cam rail |26 (Fig. 8) car-v ried by the track section 26. This rail has an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion adaptedto swing the brackets 36 and the containers therein from the normal horizontal position to a vertical discharge position, above the conveyor cables 22. The containers are prevented from tipping olf of the cables 22 as they are swung to vertical position and deposited thereon by a guide rail |22 extending parallel to the cables and secured to the track 26 by brackets |23.

Referring to Figure l, it will be noted that the lower flight of the cables 22, although substantially parallel to the upper flight of the chain I0, is inclined upwardly somewhat in the direction of its movement. Hence, as the brackets 36 and the containers 45 travel with the cables 212, the cables raise the containers relative to the brackets and move the seaming flanges 45a upwardly relative to the lip 45 and thereby disengage the containers from the brackets, permitting thebrackets to swing rearwardly and downwardly under the inuence of the springs 41,

leaving the containers supported on the cables 22 in vertical position, the downward swinging movement of the brackets 36 being permitted by a suitable downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion of the track I2I.

The cables 22 are trained about a sheave |25 journalled in bearings |26 carried by the upper end of a frame |21 mounted upon the floor adjacent the frame 2|. A motor |28, operating through a speed reducer |29, sprocket |36, chain |3I and a second sprocket |32 serves to drive the cables 22 at a predetermined speed relative to the chain I6.

In the operation of the machine of the present invention, the interiorly coated can bodies are deposited, by the outfeed dial of the inside coating machine, not shown, into the brackets 36 carried by the chain III, as the brackets move upwardly around the sprocket II, the transfer being effected and the sprocket II being driven, preferably, in accordance with the disclosure of the application of Gladfelter et al., Serial No. 367,454, filed November 27, 1940. The horizontally disposed can bodies are accurately positioned with respect to the brackets, as they move up the inclined track 23, by an appropriate guide rail |35 having its ends secured in brackets |36 secured to the track 23 (Fig. 5) so that the seaming flanges 45a substantially abut the arcuate lip 46 associated with the supporting flange 43. After the horizontally supported containers enter the coating chamber, they are swung upwardly from that position to the inclined position, by the rollers 4Q encountering the inclined portion H3 of the guide or cam rail IIIl. This movement serves to bring the side walls of the containers into contact with the lower flight |65 of the belt |64, the latter being driven in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the containers. As indicated in Figures 1 and 3, the can bodies are moved into contact with the belt, after they have passed under the sheave and have moved into the chamber. While in this linclined position, and while being rotated by frictional contact with the belt |64 and held in the pockets by the guide rails I II, I I8, I I9, the seaming flanges of the containers are projected above and beyond a longitudinally extending guard or partition plate I3?. In this position the flanges pass -beneath the spray gun l5 and the outer surfaces of the flanges and the adjacent surfaces of the container side walls are evenly'and smoothly coated.

After the containers move out of the spray area, they again assume a horizontal position and pass out of the coating chamber in that position. The

brackets and cans remain in the horizontal position as they move past the sheave |25, to permit the ends of the containers to clear that sheave, but as they approach the lower flight of the cables 22, the brackets and the containers are swung to the vertical position by the inclined portion |2I of the guide or cam rail I 2S, with the result that the containers are deposited upon the cables 22 in upright position and are conveyed by those cables to a bakingo-ven or the like.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and vdescribed above, but includes all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

We claim:

u l. An article coating machine comprising a coating chamber, a vconveyor trained for movement therethrough, article-holding brackets pivotally connected to the conveyor, means for continuously moving the conveyor and the brackets through the chamber, means for swinging the brackets and the articles relative to the conveyor, laterally from a horizontal position to an inclined position while passing through the chamber, a spray gun positioned to direct a spray of coating material upon the articles moving in said laterally swung inclined position, and means for swinging the brackets and the articles to a vertical position after the spraying operation, to discharge the articles from the brackets.

2. An article coating machine, comprising a coating chamber, a conveyor trained for movement therethrough, article-holding brackets pivotally connected to the conveyor for movement from a horizontal, article-receiving position to a vertical, discharge position, a spray gun in the chamber positioned adjacent the path of movement of the conveyor and adapted to spray the articles, means for swinging the brackets from said horizontal article-receiving position to an inclined position in the chamber as the articles pass the spray gun, and means beyond the spray gun for swinging the brackets to said vertical, discharge position after the completion of the spraying operation.

3. A machine for coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming flanges and the adjacent portions of the side walls of containers or the like, comprising a coating chamber, a vertically disposed, downwardly projecting spray gun in the chamber, means for receiving a line of containers in horizontal position and for moving the same through said chamber, means in said chamber for swinging the containers laterally to an inclined position to project their seaming flanges and the adjacent portions of their side walls laterally into a position below said spray gun as they move past the same, means for rotating the containers about their longitudinal axes as they pass the spray gun, whereby the seaming flanges and adjacent side wall portions receive an even coating from the spray gun, and means disposed exteriorly oi the chamber for depositing the containers in upright position at a discharge station.

4, A machine for coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming anges of containers, or the like, comprising a longitudinally elongated coating chamber, a spray gun associated therewith and positioned to project a spray of coating material in a localized zone spaced from the longitudinal center line of the chamber, a conveyor trained for movement longitudinally through the chamber, containerholding brackets pivotally carried by the conveyor and adapted to receive containers exteriorly of the chamber when in a receiving position, means for swinging the brackets and the containers laterally about an axis parallel to the conveyor from the receiving position to a coating position to project the seaming flanges into a position to pass through said localized zone as the brackets and the containers are moved past the spray gun, means for rotating the containers about their axes when in the latter position to expose all portions of their flanges to the spray, and means for swinging the brackets and the containers to a discharge position, after completion of the spraying operation.

5. An article spray coating machine comprising coating means, a conveyor trained for movement past the same but out of range of the spray projected thereby, a plurality of brackets pivotally connected to the conveyor and having upwardly facing, concave article receiving pockets therein, means for laterally swinging the brackets and the articles therein from a horizontal, receiving position to an inclined, coating position to project portions of the articles into said spray as the articles pass said spray coating means, means for positively rotating the articles about their axes when in the latter position, and fixed guide means for retaining the articles in said pockets during the rotation thereof.

6. A machine for spray coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming flanges of containers or the like, comprising a plurality of container receiving brackets mounted for movement along a predetermined path and adapted to receive containers in horizontal position, spray coating means adjacent said path, means for laterally swinging the brackets from said horizontal position to an inclined position to project said flanges into the spray area as they pass said spray coating means, means for rotating the containers while in the latter position, and guide means for preventing the containers from dropping out of said brackets when in the latter position, said guide means comprising a fixed rail disposed opposite the lower end of the containers and another rail opposite the side wall thereof.

7. A machine for spray coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming iianges of can bodies or the like, comprising a plurality of brackets having pockets adapted to receive the bodies in horizontal position, means for moving the brackets along a predetermined path, a downwardly projecting spray gun adjacent said path, means for swinging the brackets and the bodies therein laterally with respect to said path from said horizontal position to an inclined position where said seaming flanges are disposed below and in alignment with said spray gun, and means for rotating the bodies while in the latter position, said means comprising an endless belt having a flight positioned to be engaged by the side walls of the bodies when moved to the lastmentioned position, and means for driving said belt.

8. A machine for coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming flanges of can bodies or the like, comprising a plurality of brackets having pockets adapted to receive the bodies in horizontal position, means for moving the brackets along a predetermined path, a downwardly projecting spray gun positioned laterally adjacent said path, means for swinging the brackets and the bodies therein from said horizontal position to an inclined position laterally to project said seaming ilanges below said spray gun, and means for rotating the bodies in said pockets when in the latter position, said means comprising a belt trained for movement in a plane perpendicular to the axes of the bodies when in said inclined position and having one ilight thereof in position to be engaged by the side walls of the cans as they are moved to said inclined position, and means for moving said belt.

9. A machine for coating the exterior surfaces of outwardly projecting seaming ilanges of can bodies comprising a plurality of brackets having pockets adapted to receive the can bodies in horizontal position, means for moving the brackets along a predetermined path, an endless belt trained for movement on an inclined plane with its lower flight disposed adjacent the path of movement of the brackets, means for driving said belt, a downwardly projecting spray gun adjacent said belt, and means for swinging the brackets and the can bodies therein from said horizontal position to an inclined position wherein the side walls of the bodies engage said belt as the brackets move past the spray gun, whereby the seaming flanges of the bodies are moved beneath said gun and the bodies are rotated.

10. A machine for coating the exterior surfaces of the seaming flanges of can bodies, comprising a conveyor chain trained for movement in a vertical plane, horizontally disposed can-holding brackets pivotally mounted on the chain for transverse pivoting movement relative to the chain, a pair of sheaves spaced longitudinally of and disposed above the upper flight of the conveyor, a belt trained about said sheaves, means for driving said belt, a spray gun opposite said belt and between the sheaves, and means for swinging said brackets upwardly as they move between said sheaves, to cause the can bodies to engage said belt, thereby to rotate the bodies as they pass beneath said gun.

11. A coating machine comprising a coating chamber, a pair of sheaves disposed exteriorly of the chamber at opposite ends thereof, `a belt trained about said sheaves and having one flight thereof extending through the chamber, a chain trained for movement through the chamber, article-holding brackets on the chain, means for raising the brackets as they move through the chamber to urge the articles supported thereby into contact with said belt, to cause the articles to be rotated and spray gun coating means in the chamber positioned to direct a spray of coating material upon the articles when in the raised position and while being rotated by the belt.

12. A coating machine comprising a housing dening a coating chamber, a spray gun carried by the chamber and projecting downwardly thereinto through the t-op wall thereof, a downwardly extending flue below the gun, means spaced to one side of the gun and out of the path of the spray projected thereby for conveying articles to be coated through said housing, means for tilting the articles as they pass therethrough to project the ends thereof into the path of the spray projected by the gun, and means for rotating the articles while in the last-mentioned position.

13. A coating machine comprising a housing defining a chamber having a coating section and a laterally spaced conveyor section adjacent thereto, a spray gun in the coating section, a conveyor extending through the conveyor section, a plurality of brackets pivotally mounted on said conveyor and adapted to support, in the conveyor section, the articles to be coated, and means for swinging the brackets and the articles supported thereby upwardly and laterally, to project at least a portion of the articles from the conveyor section into the coating section into operative relation to said gun.

14. A coating machine comprising a housing defining a chamber having a coating sectionand a laterally spaced conveyor section -adjacent thereto, a spray gun in the coating section, a conveyor extending through the conveyor section, a plurality of brackets pivotally mounted on said conveyor and adapted to support the articles to be coated, means for swinging the brackets and the articles supported thereby upwardly and laterally, to project at least a portion of the articles into the coating section into operative relation to said gun, and means for rotating the articles when in the last-mentioned position.

WILTIE I. GLADFELTER. WILLIAM H. MOORE. 

